Minister denies he is linked to bribery attempt over PHS privatization

In March 2003, Maciej D., a businessman from Silesia, and his colleagues from the Invex company were arrested by the Internal Security Agency (ABW) on charges of demanding a bribe. D., claimed he had the backing of Deputy Treasury Minister Andrzej Szarawarski, to ask American US Steel for a zł. 30 million bribe, which would secure their success in the privatization of Polish Steel Mills (PHS). The Americans informed the Treasury Minister who passed the information to the prosecutor. After launching an investigation, Szarawarski denied any relations with D. or his company. However, Gazeta Wyborcza found a document, according to which Maciej D. was to be a part of three-person government team, consisting of Andrzej Szarawarski and president of PHS Jerzy Podsiadło, which would visit US Steel. "I thought that he was representing the Americans and due to this I invited him," Podsiadło told Wyborcza. Neither Szarawarski nor US Steel would comment on the affair. (Gazeta Wyborcza, pp. 1, 17) M.M.